cwilleford.miamiblues-第15节

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gan　to　swell　immediately。
　　〃Part　of　being　married；〃　Freddy　explained；　〃is　learning　to　do　exactly　what　your　platonic　husband　tells　you　to　do。　I'm　not　some　daddy　you　can　defy；　and　I'm　not　a　dumb　brother　you　can　manipulate。　Do　you　know　what　'manipulate'　means？〃
　　Susan　nodded　through　her　tears。　〃Uh…huh。　I　saw　a　program　on　it　once；　on　'Donahue。'〃
　　〃I'm　not　unreasonable。　You're　probably　right　about　the　interest　rate　and　all。　I　don't　know　much　about　things　like　that。　But　the　main　thing　here　is　that　you　didn't　do　what　I　told　you　to　do。　And　you　weren't　really　concerned　about　the　interest　rate；　either。　You　kept　the　other　ten　thousand　because　you　didn't　trust　me。　Don't　say　anything。　Not　a　word。　I　don't　want　to　hear　any　lies。　What　I'm　going　to　do；　I'm　going　to　let　you　keep　the　other　ten　thousand　in　the　S　and　L。　I　don't　need　it　right　now；　and　you　don't　need　it；　and　I　realize　you're　insecure　and　need　the　money　for　your　peace　of　mind。　Now；　put　the　pork　chops　back　on　the　table　and　leave　them　there　so　they'll　thaw　out。　I'll　want　them　for　dinner　tonight；　with　whatever　else　you　fix　that'll　go　good　with　the　pork　chops。〃
　　〃Will　baked　sweet　potatoes　be　all　right？〃
　　〃That's　your　department。　Now；　aren't　you　going　to　ask　me　where　I　got　the　pork　chops？〃
　　〃I　figure　that's　none　of　my　business。〃
　　〃That's　right。　Now　you're　learning。〃
　　Freddy　looked　through　Susan's　purse　and　took　out　the　car　keys。　〃I'm　going　down　to　the　hotel　to　fix　things　up　with　Pablo　for　you。　Then　I'm　going　to　get　oriented　around　town。　I　should　be　back　around　six…that　is；　if　I　don't　get　lost。　But　I've　checked　out　the　map；　and　I　don't　think　I　will　as　long　as　I　keep　the　avenues　and　the　streets　straight。〃
　　〃I'm　supposed　to　go　to　social　science　tonight。　English　on　Monday　and　Wednesday；　and　social　science　on　Tuesday　and　Thursday　nights。〃
　　〃No；　I　don't　think　so。　I　don't　want　you　in　school　right　now。　Call　up　and　tell　your　science　teacher　there's　been　a　death　in　the　family。　Professor　Turner　already　knows。　I'll　decide　whether　I　want　you　to　go　back　at　all。〃
　　Freddy　counted　off　a　thousand　dollars　and　pushed　the　rest　of　the　money　across　the　table。　〃Here。〃　He　folded　the　bills　in　half　and　put　the　roll　into　his　right　front　pocket。　〃Take　the　rest　of　the　money　and　stash　it　in　a　safe　place　somewhere　in　the　apartment。〃
　　Freddy　turned　at　the　door。　〃One　other　thing。　Call　a　locksmith　and　have　him　e　out　and　put　a　deadbolt　lock　on　the　door。　These　push…button　locks　are　engraved　invitations　for　burglars。〃
　　〃I　already　checked　on　deadlocks；　and　they　cost　more　than　sixty　dollars。　Is　that　all　right？　To　pay　that　much；　I　mean？〃
　　Freddy　pointed　to　the　stack　of　money　on　the　table。　〃What　would　you　rather　lose？　Sixty　dollars；　or　all　of　that？〃　He　pushed　in　the　button　on　the　doorknob；　and　closed　the　door　gently　behind　him　as　he　left。
　　Susan；　slightly　dazed；　opened　the　refrigerator；　stared　into　its　depths　for　a　moment；　closed　the　door；　took　a　roll　of　toilet　paper　out　of　the　grocery　sack；　looked　at　it；　dropped　it　back　inside；　started　toward　the　bathroom；　changed　her　mind；　and　then　ran　swiftly　to　the　South　Miami　telephone　book　and　turned　to　the　Yellow　Pages。
　　
　　
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　　Hoke　Moseley　and　Bill　Henderson　sat　close　together　on　a　pink　silk　loveseat　in　the　living　room　of　11K；　a　townhouse　in　the　Tahitian　Village。　Two…bedroom　townhouses　in　the　Tahitian　Village　started　at　189；000；　and　the　owners　of　this　three…bedroom　townhouse　had　also　put　out　a　good　deal　of　money　for　the　Latin　Baroque　furnishings。　There　were　twisted；　ornate　bars　on　all　of　the　downstairs　windows。　The　interior　color　scheme　was　predominantly　purple　and　rose。　The　wall…to…wall　carpeting　was　richly　purple；　and　the　color　was　echoed　without　subtlety　in　the　violet　velvet　draperies。　The　thick　draperies　hung　in　deep　folds　from　two…headed　iron　spears　in　the　living　and　dining　rooms。
　　In　the　purple　living　room；　two　men；　definitely　Latins；　with　their　hands　and　feet　bound　with　copper　wire；　were　face　down　on　the　floor。　They　had　both　been　shot　in　the　back　of　the　head；　and　their　faces　were　unrecognizable。　A　dark…haired　young　woman　wearing　a　black…and…white　maid's　uniform；　plete　with　a　white　frilly　cap；　had　been　shot　in　the　hallway　that　led　to　the　kitchen。　Her　hands　and　feet　were　also　bound　with　copper　wire。　A　small　boy；　two；　or　possibly　three　years　old；　had　been　shot　in　the　head；　but　the　child　did　not　have　his　hands　and　feet　bound。　He　was　in　the　sunken　bathtub　in　the　rose…tiled　bathroom　on　the　second　floor。
　　There　was　considerable　activity　in　the　townhouse。　The　forensic　crew　was　busy。　Two　technicians　were　dusting　for　fingerprints；　and　another　man　was　taking　flash　photographs　from　various　angles。　The　ME；　Dr。　Merle　Evans；　was　sitting　at　the　glass…topped　wrought…iron　table　in　the　dining　room　and　writing　notes　on　his　clipboard。
　　The　lady　of　the　house；　who　had　been　out　shopping　at　the　Kendall　Lakes　Mall；　said　that　she　had　returned　to　find　her　husband；　her　brother；　the　boy；　and　her　maid　dead。　A　Colombian　with　only　rudimentary　English；　she　had　bee　hysterical。　When　he　arrived；　Doc　Evans　had　given　her　a　shot　and　sent　her　in　an　ambulance　to　the　American　Hospital　emergency　room。
　　After　a　quick　initial　look　at　the　scene；　Hoke　Moseley　and　Bill　Henderson　had　knocked　on　the　nearby　doors　in　the　Tahitian　Village；　dividing　up　the　townhouses；　asking　questions；　and　now　they　were　paring　notes。
　　〃No　one　I　talked　to；〃　Henderson　said；　〃heard　or　saw　anything。〃
　　〃I　didn't　do　any　better。　These　people　here　apparently　kept　to　themselves；　and　I　couldn't　find　anyone　who　knew　or　talked　to　them。　They　spoke　Spanish　and　nothing　else。　Sometimes；　in　the　morning；　the　maid　took　the　little　boy　to　the　pool；　but　the　adults　never　used　the　pool。　And　that's　where　the　people　of　this　plex　get　acquainted。　A　Colombian　corporation；　the　manager　told　me；　owns　this　townhouse；　pays　all　the　bills　and　the　maintenance；　and　people　just　e　and　go。　When　they　e；　they've　got　a　letter　in　Spanish　authorizing　their　stay；　and　he　hands　over　the　keys。　When　they　leave；　one　of　them　returns　the　keys。　He's　never　had　any　trouble　with　any　of　the　tenants；　he　claims。　They're　always　nice；　quiet　tenants；　or　so　he　says。〃
　　〃Did　he　have　their　names？〃
　　〃No。　The　letter　he　showed　me　just　said　to　admit　the　bearers　for　an　extended　stay。　I　don't　read　Spanish；　but　he　does；　and　that's　what　the　letter　said。〃
　　〃He　wouldn't　lie　about　something　like　that；〃　Henderson　said；　〃but　we　can　check　it　out；　anyway。　There　had　to　be　at　least　four　shots；　but　no　one　heard　even　one。　I　can't　get　over　that。〃
　　〃Maybe　it's　a　good　thing　they　didn't　hear　the　shots　and　e　running　out。　Chances　are；　they'd　be　dead；　too。〃
　　〃Somebody　had　to　hear　something。　They　just　don't　want　to　get　involved；　that's　all。〃
　　Doc　Evans　joined　them。　〃They've　been　dead　about　two　hours。　That　may　not　be　exact；　but　from　the　body　temperatures；　I'm　not　far　off。〃
　　Hoke　nodded。　〃That　coincides　with　what　the　woman　said。　She　was　gone　for　about　two　hours；　and　they　were　all　alive　when　she　left。　I　hope　you　can　find　some　evidence　of　heroin　when　you　open　'em　up；　doe。　There's　no　dope　in　the　apartment。　Without　some　indication　of　dope；　we　can't　say　positively　that　the　killings　are　drug…related。　We　can　say　that　we　think　they　are；　but　that　isn't　the　same。　If　they're　dope…related；　nobody　gives　a　shit；　but　if　this　was　a　murder…robbery；　all　these　folks　living　out　here'll　get　panicky。〃
　　〃It's　obviously　a　professional　job；〃　Doc　said。　〃Too　bad　about　the　kid；　though。　At　his　age；　he　couldn't've　identified　anybody　anyway。〃
　　〃Colombian　drug　families　are　like　that；　doc；〃　Henderson　said。　〃They　kill　everyone　in　the　family。　They　have　to　do　it。　If　they　hadn't　killed　the　boy；　someday；　as　a　man；　he'd　kill　them。　When　can　I　talk　to　the　woman　at　the　hospital？〃
　　〃Any　time。　She'll　be　a　little　dopey；　but　she　can　talk　now。　Why？〃
　　〃I've　got　a　theory。　I　think　she　knew　the　killers。　I　also　think　they　killed　these　people　here；　and　then　she　drove　them　to　the　airport　to　catch　a　plane。　Then　she　drove　back　here　to　report　the　bodies。　As　soon　as　she　knew　they　were　safely　away；　she　called　the　department。〃
　　〃Jesus；　Bill；〃　Hoke　said；　〃you　don't　seriously　believe　that　a　mother　would　help　the　killers　of　her　own　child　get　away；　do　you？〃
　　〃Well；　how　do　we　know　it's　her　child？　Life　is　cheap　for　those　fuckers　in　Colombia。　They　might've　brought　the　kid　along　with　that　plan　in　mind　all　along。　Anyway；　that's　what　I　think；　and　I've　got　another　reason　besides。　I'll　take　Martinez　along　to　use　as　an　interpreter。〃
　　〃Why　not？　I'll　wait　here。　I　asked　Kossowski　from　Narcotics　to　get　a　warrant　so　we　can　search　her　Caddy。　She　went　shopping；　she　said；　but　I　didn't　see　any　packages　in　the　car。　If　there's　nothing　in　the　trunk；　your　theory　might　be　better　than　I　think　it　is　right　now。　Anyway；〃　Hoke　finished；　〃after　we　search　the　car；　I'll　call　you　at　American。〃
　　〃I'm　going　to　lean　on　her。〃　Henderson　got　to　his　feet。　〃Maybe　their　passports　are　in　the　trunk；　too。　There's　not　a　scrap　of　ID　in　the　house。〃
　　〃The　killers　probably　took　the　passports。　But　go　ahead。　You're　bound　to　find　out　more　than　we　know　now。〃
　　
　　Kossowski；　together　with　an　assistant　state　attorney；　arrived　a　few　minutes　later　with　a　search　warrant　for　the　purple　Cadillac。　Kossowski